Nevada County hosts listening session for California's first-ever creative economy plan
Nevada County was selected to host a listening session on the State of California's first-ever plan for the creative economy.
There are over 30 events across the state holding similar events to Thursday's town hall in Nevada City. It's a road show by the California Arts Council, and Thursday's stop was at the Miners Foundry Cultural Center, partnering with the Nevada County Arts Council.
"Together, we know that working as part of one creative economy lifts all boats," said Eliza Tudor, executive director of the Nevada County Arts Council.
There's a push for creativity across California. From artists to musicians, architects, designers, and even small businesses, the California Arts Council is rolling out its first-ever strategic plan to try to define a creative economy and get the state to invest in it.
"Everyone considers and counts the creative economy differently. So one of the goals we have in this plan is for the state to adopt a really clear definition and measurement of how we categorize and count the creative economy in California," said Danielle Brazell, executive director of the California Arts Council.
"We know the creative economy drives the economy like no other sector. It's phenomenal in California, yet it's one of the least funded. So this is an urgent moment for the arts," said Tudor.
The Nevada County Arts Council does an extensive survey to track the creative economy locally. They estimate it to be around $66 million each year.
"The future of California is absolutely creative. What we put into the creative economy is what we get out of it tenfold. We know the creative economies in California account for about 8% of our overall economy," said Brazell.
"The golden question is, will we see legislators getting behind the governor's budget and proposing that more money flow into the arts and the state agency for the arts?" said Tudor.
The strategic plan's key goals include data and impact measurement, state and local integration, business stability and workforce development.
"So the state agencies can thrive and help all of us across California. It's particularly important in rural areas where there isn't the capacity of local government and businesses to be supported in the way urban spaces are," said Tudor.
More than 200 people attended the town hall, including arts councils from across the north state.
The Nevada County Arts Council is launching a plan of its own called Culture Forward, which will be in place through 2032.